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Pelosi Statement on Trump Administration Refusal to Impose Bipartisan Sanctions on Russia

January 30, 2018

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Henry Connelly, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released this statement after the Trump Administration refused to impose new sanctions on Russia, after missing the October statutory deadline for providing the Congress with details of Russian sanctions targets:

"In July, the Congress passed a bill on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis requiring the Administration to impose defense and intelligence sanctions on entities purchasing Russian military equipment. The Trump Administration's decision to wholly disregard that action demonstrates a dangerous, brazen disregard for the law.

"The Administration's claims that Russians have ‘abandoned planned or announced purchases of several billion dollars in Russian defense acquisitions' are highly unlikely.

"Instead of holding Russia accountable for its attacks on our country undermining our elections, the President is waging an all-out attack on our patriotic intelligence and law enforcement communities making our country less safe. The White House's repeated decisions to let Putin have a free pass make Americans question, what do the Russians have on the President, politically, financially and personally?

"Democrats will continue to protect our democracy against foreign attacks and stand up to Republicans' efforts to let Russia off the hook."

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